USA > New York > New York County > Manhattan > Annals of old Manhattan, 1609-1664 > Part 7
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But Stuyvesant still magnified his office, and, like Louis XIV, cherished the sentiment, " I am the State." Although an election of burgomasters and schepens had been com- manded, the director, disregarding the order, assumed authority to name those officers, and, until compelled to surrender the privilege, presided at the meeting of the magistrates as
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often as he saw fit. The first burgomasters in office were Arendt van Hallan and Martin Cregier; the schepens, Wilhelm Beeckman, Paulus Leendertsen Van der Grist, Maximilian Van Gheel, Allard Anthony, Pieter Wolfert- sen Van Couwenhoven; but the provincial secretary, Jacob Kip, was expected to do duty for the young city, and the provincial schout-fiscal was at first thought equal to the necessary functions in New Amsterdam. After a few months, however, a city schout was appointed, and Johann Kuyter, who in Hol- land had vindicated his name from Kieft's charges, was first chosen to fill the office, though before the commission reached him he was murdered by the Indians.
The services of burgomasters and schepens were at first given without emolument, al- though the acceptance of office was compul- sory ; but before the first year of municipal life had passed, these officials found their duties
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VIEW OF THE SITE OF THE PRESENT BATTERY IN 1656
Honorable Peter Stuyvesant
so arduous that they petitioned for salaries, and Stuyvesant granted to each burgomaster three hundred and fifty florins per annum, or about one hundred and forty dollars,' while each schepen received annually two hun- dred and fifty florins, equal to one hundred dollars.
The place of Dominie Bogardus had been filled by Dominie Backerus who arrived with Stuyvesant; but, in 1649, he returned to Hol- land, and New Amsterdam was left without a minister until Dominie Johannes Megapo- lensis resigned his position at Rensselaers- wijck, where, since 1642, he had preached to the Dutch and the Indians. Stuyvesant per- suaded him to take charge of the church in New Amsterdam, and there he remained un- til his death in 1669.
1 Records of New Amsterdam.
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XI Under the City Fathers. 1652-1658
I N 1652, hostilities were reopened between England and Holland, and although Van Tromp and De Ruyter were sweeping European waters with their broom-bedecked vessels, danger threatened the Dutch colonies in America.
In New Amsterdam the magistrate or- dained precautionary measures, and secured from the principal burghers a loan of five thousand and fifty florins for the purpose of repairing the fort. A ditch and palisades around the inland side of the city were also ordered to be constructed, and, that the de- fenses might be speedily completed, every man was required to assist in the work. When it was learned that military preparations were
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in progress in New England, a day of fasting and prayer was observed throughout the Dutch province, the work of fortifying New Am- sterdam was pressed by every possible effort, and a night-watch was posted at points of danger. The contemplated attack upon the city was, however, prevented by the refusal of the Massachusetts court to sanction the enterprise. Two years later, the height of the palisades was doubled, " to prevent the over- loopin of Indians," and two entrances were constructed, the " Water Gate," at the pres- ent junction of Pearl and Wall streets, and the "Land Gate" where Wall Street meets Broad- way.1
The large amount of money expended upon defenses had heavily taxed the people of New Amsterdam, and, in 1653, the burgomasters and schepens voted that nothing more should be contributed until the whole excise duty I Historic New York.
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on wines and beer had been surrendered. Stuy- vesant refused to comply with this demand, but was forced finally to yield to the persist- ent claim of the sturdy burghers called to act as an advisory council, though he added the proviso that " burgomasters and schepens shall furnish subsidies, by which the public works may be repaired."
Then the magistrates decided that money should be raised by a direct tax upon citizens, in proportion to their wealth, and, in 16 55, the sum of seven thousand guilders was thus added to the city treasury. The largest amounts were paid by P. Stuyvesant, C. Van Tienhoven, A. Anthony, O. S. Van Cortlandt, J. P. Bruggh, C. Steenwyck, Govert Loockermans, Jacobus Backer, J. L. Van der Grist, J. Van Couwen- hoven, P. L. Van der Grist, J. Nevius, J. de Peyster, Martin Cregier, Domini Megapolen- sis, Domini Drisius, Jeremias Van Rensselaer, Isaac de Forest, Cornelis Van Ruyven, Wil-
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helm Beeckman, Hendrick Van Dyck, Ludo- wyck Kip, Arent Van Corlear, Jacob Kip, Isaac Kip, Conraet Ten Eyck, Abram Ver- planck, P. C. Van der Veen, H. J. Vandervin.
Alarm was again excited by news that Eng- lish war vessels had arrived at Boston, and an immediate attack might be expected. This was no idle rumor, for the ships had delayed only to gather an additional force from the New England troops, and, but for a sudden change in European tactics, the Dutch do- minion in America might have been swiftly terminated. But just as the British force, num- bering nearly a thousand men, was about to set sail from Boston, peace between England and Holland was proclaimed. Danger to New Amsterdam was again averted, and a day of thanksgiving was observed throughout the province. The proclamation read, "Praise the Lord, O England's Jerusalem ; and Nether- land's Zion, praise ye the Lord ! He hath se-
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cured your gates and blessed your possessions with peace, even here where the threatened torch of war was lighted."
The spirit of unrest fitfully manifested up- on Long Island, in criticism of the govern- ment, was, in December, 1653, openly revealed by a popular assembly, where dele- gates from Breuckelen, Vliessingen (Flush- ing), Middleburg (Newtown), Hempstede, Gravesend, Midwout (Flatbush), and Amers- foort (Flatlands), demanded for their dis- tricts the laws in force in the fatherland. Against Stuyvesant's autocratic rule they threatened to protest to the States General, and although the unpopular director declared that his authority was derived "from God and the Company," another appeal from his judgments was forwarded to Holland.
The friendly relations long maintained be- tween the Dutch and their neighbors on the South River had been interrupted after
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the accession of Charles X to the Swedish throne; and while Stuyvesant, occupied with the danger threatening New Amsterdam, was unable to defend the distant post, Fort Casi- mer, a stronghold built in 1650, had been seized. In the autumn of 1653 a Swedish ship, having wandered from its course and entered the lower bay, was captured by the Dutch, and brought to Fort Amsterdam ; while a message was conveyed to the Swed- ish commander on the South River, stating that the prize would be retained until "a reciprocal restitution should be made."
When all danger of attack from the Eng- lish seemed averted by the consummation of peace in Europe, Stuyvesant projected a voyage to the West Indies for the purpose of promoting the commercial interests of his infant city, and the administration of affairs during his absence was committed to the vice-governor, De Sille and the council.
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The burgomasters and schepens passed a resolution "to compliment " the director before his " gallant voyage," and to provide "a gay repast" in the council chamber of the Stadt-Huys. In response to this courtesy the governor presented the city with a seal, bearing a beaver for its crest, while the arms of the old city of Amsterdam, the initial letters indicating "Chartered West India Company " and the legend "Sigillum Ams- tellodamensis in Novo Belgio" were all within a border of laurel leaves.
After a fruitless journey, Stuyvesant returned and found awaiting his arrival a fleet of four vessels from Holland. They bore orders that the director should assemble an additional force in New Netherland, and drive the Swedes from the South River. Preparations for an expedition to that locality were im- mediately begun, and in September, with seven hundred soldiers, the governor arrived
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at Fort Casimer. The Swedes, having no suf- ficient opposing force, immediately capitu- lated and while, with sounding bugles and flying colors, the Dutch took possession of the stronghold, the colony swiftly changed its allegiance from Sweden to Holland.
During Stuyvesant's absence on this expedi- tion, events prolific of dire results occurred in New Netherland. Van Dyck having dis- covered an Indian woman stealing peaches in his orchard, hastily shot her. A few days later nearly two thousand warriors arrived in canoes at Manhattan Island, and, under pre- tense of a search for Mohawks, thronged the streets and entered the houses. The offi- cers of the city invited the sachems to a con- ference at the fort, and persuaded them to withdraw their warriors to Nutten Island. But when darkness arrived, and the terrified populace were again in their homes, the savages returned, and proceeding to Van
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Dyck's house on the Heere Straat (Broad- way), they struck him down with an axe, and killed also a neighbor who attempted a rescue. The citizens, seizing their arms, joined the burgher guard in the defence of their homes, and the Indians were driven to their canoes, but the spirit of vengeance was not satiated.
Soon the country was thrilled by news of burning settlements at Hoboken and Pavonia, and desolated farms on Staten Island, where one hundred persons had been massacred, and one hundred and fifty made captives. Colonists thronged to the fort for protection against prowling savages, and Stuyvesant was hastily summoned from the South River. The valiant old soldier adopted a wise policy of conciliation, and succeeded in concluding with the sachems a treaty of peace. Many prisoners were ransomed, and the people, once more relieved from fear of attack, ad-
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justed themselves anew to their conditions of life, while the magistrates industriously en- acted ordinances for the benefit of a city already cosmopolitan. During the wars in Kieft's administration, the population of New Amsterdam had been reduced from nearly twenty-five hundred to about eight hundred. In 1656, when a census was taken, there were, including the negro slaves, a thousand people in the city, and it was as- serted that no less than eighteen dialects were spoken in the streets.
In 1657, municipal privileges, known in Holland as Burgher Rights, were introduced. To those who did not receive the preroga- tives by inheritance of station, the Great Burgher Right might be secured by the pay- ment of fifty guilders. It was a necessary qualification for any city office, and for a cer- tain period it exempted the holder from " watches and expeditions," and freed him
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from liability of arrest by any inferior court in the province. Possessors of the Small Burgher Right were enabled to keep “ an open store in the city in a hired or owned room," and for this privilege a preliminary fee of twenty-five guilders was required.
Soon after the act of incorporation had been passed, Stuyvesant addressed a communication to the magistrates, in which we find intima- tions that even in the budding city official promises sometimes failed of prompt fulfill- ment. In this interesting document, the gov- ernor announced to his " Honorable, Dear, and Distinguished Friends," that hogs have damaged the walls of the fort, and as "pigs are seen daily upon these defenses," burgo- masters and schepens are requested, in accord- ance with former promises, to "give an order and prevent the pigs."
Burgomasters and schepens then decided to engage a herdsman, but apparently the evil
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was not remedied, for, in August, 1653, we find on record another letter from Stuyvesant to his "Respected and Very Dear," wherein, after calling attention to "the injurious and intolerable destruction daily committed by the hogs," he proceeds to threaten that, as " Burgomasters and schepens, in violation of their solemn promise, will not lend a hand in repairing and strengthening the walls, they must "clear themselves of all damage and in- jury that may follow."" After this rebuke, the guardians of the law evidently determined to shift some of their responsibilities to the shoulders of the citizens, for the court mes- senger was instructed to notify the burghers that every one should take care of his own hogs until the fort had been fenced in with palisades. Five years later, another ordinance was rendered imperative by the fact that roads and streets were injured by the same I Records of New Amsterdam, vol. I.
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inquisitive peregrinating animals, and their owners were ordered to "put a ring through the noses of pigs to prevent them from root- ing."
An ordinance of 1647 had commanded all inhabitants of New Netherland to fence their land that cattle might not trespass, and soon afterwards surveyors were appointed to deter- mine the limits of lots. Inspectors of chim- neys were responsible for proper cleanliness within the circle of their espionage, and the building of wooden or plastered chimneys was forbidden, although those already com- pleted might be used if properly protected. If anybody's house was burned, however, "either by negligence or his own fire," the owner was condemned to pay a fine.
Regulations concerning the drawing of beer were repeated in 1648, with the revelatory comment that " profit being so easily made in that business, one-fourth of the city of New
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Amsterdam had been turned into taverns." Those engaged in taprooms were ordered to have also "another honest business, with a convenient and decent burgher dwelling." 1
In April, 1648, a proclamation was issued stating that, because the Sabbath had not been kept as intended, a sermon would be preached in the afternoon as well as in the forenoon, and during the hours of service all secular occupations were forbidden, and all persons were required to attend church. But some- thing more than repeated ordinances seemed necessary to ensure an observance of the day of rest, according to the Dutch dictum, for on September 28, 1660, it is recorded that the schout, Pieter Tonneman, fined the wife of Andraes Rees because there were ninepins at her house during preaching, and "the can and glass stood on the table," whereat, the defendant appeared in court and said that 1 Records of New Amsterdam.
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" some one came to her house who said that church was out." ' On the same date several persons were fined for having sold fish on Sunday, but as they proved that the deed was done before the ringing of the bell, their punishment was remitted.
It seems evident that evasions of the law were frequent, and that the interval al- lowed for secular occupations gave abundant opportunity for excuses. On September 10, 1663, it is verbosely recorded that " Where- as, Director General and Council of New Netherlands, experience and perceive that their previously enacted orders for the obser- vance of the Sabbath, conformable to God's law and their good intentions, are not ob- served," they " hereby order and command, that not only a part but the whole Sabbath shall be observed. Whereby, each and every one is hereby warned that pending the Sab- I Records of New Amsterdam.
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bath, from the rising to the setting of the sun, no customary labor shall be performed." I After the prohibition of " all unusual exer- cises, such as games, boat, cart, or wagon- racing, fishing, sailing, nutting, or picking strawberries," the penalty for disobedience is declared to be, for the first offence, the for- feiture of the upper garment or the payment of six guilders.
In the autumn of 1648, an ordinance for the protection of commercial interests de- creed that, " As Scottish merchants and small traders injure trade with underselling, and, having sold, return to their ships without any benefit to the country," 2 therefore, traders " shall not be allowed to do any business in the country unless they remain in New Netherland three consecutive years, and build in New Amsterdam a decent burgher dwel- ling-house, each according to his means."3
1 Records of New Amsterdam. 2 Ibid. 3 Ibid.
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Under the City Fathers
Wefind by examination of the court archives that litigants presented their own cases. The lawyer Van der Donck was refused permission to practice his profession, on the ground that, " as there was no other lawyer in the country there would be no one to oppose him."
One year after the incorporation of the city, the first Ferry Ordinance was recorded. Under date of July 1, 1654, it states that :
Daily confusion occurring among the Ferrymen on Manhattan Island, so that the inhabitants are waiting whole days before they can obtain a pas- sage, and then not without danger, and at an ex- orbitant price, It is ordered by the Director Gen- eral and Council :
I. That no person shall ferry from one side of the river to the other without a license from the magistrates, under a penalty of {1 flemish for the first offence, {2 for the second, and £3, with con- fiscation of boat and corporal punishment, for the third infraction of this order ; one-third of the fine to be paid to the legal ferryman, one-third to the
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attorney general, and one-third at the disposition of the Judge.
II. The Ferryman shall always keep proper ser- vants and boats, and a lodge on both sides of the river to protect passengers from the weather.
III. The Ferryman is to be allowed for a wagon or cart (either with horse, oxen or a head of cattle): For a one horse wagon, Fl. 2 10 st.
For a plough, Fl. 2
For a hog, sheep, buck or goat, 3 st.
For a savage, male or female,
6 st.
For each other person, 3 st.
Half for a child under ten years.
For a horse or four-footed horned beast, Fl. I. 10 st.
For a hogshead of tobacco, 16 st.
For a tun of beer, 16 st.
For an anker of wine or spirits, 6 st.
For a keg of butter or anything else, 6 st.
For four schepels of corn, I st.
IV. The Ferryman cannot be compelled to ferry anything over before he is paid.
V. The hours of the ferry shall be from 5 o'clock A.M. to 8 p.M. in summer; after this last mentioned hour, double ferriage.
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VI. From 7 A.M. to 5 P.M. in winter, but he is not obliged to ferry during a tempest or when he cannot sail.
VII. The director and members of the council, the court messenger, and other persons invested with authority, or dispatched by the executive, are to be exempt from toll.1
In January, 1656, a notable resolution was passed by the city fathers, when the treasury, being destitute of funds "to disburse there- from what the burgomasters and schepens should yearly receive as a salary," it was proposed "to open a city account and place the same to their credit, to be paid from the treasury when circumstances permit."
To expedite trade, an ordinance of Septem- ber, 1656, proclaimed that, whereas, people from the country bringing wares to sell "re- main a long time to their damage" because the community were in ignorance of their arrival, therefore Saturday should thenceforth I Albany Records, VII, 267.
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be kept as a market day. "Let every one who has anything to sell or buy, govern himself accordingly."' The market was held " at or around the house of Mr. Hans Kierstede, where, after him, everyone shall be permitted to buy or sell."
Three years later, arrangements were made for an annual sale of cattle. This market was held on the green during six weeks of the autumn, and within that halcyon period no visitor in the city could be arrested for debt.
As early as 1645, the youth of New Am- sterdam were instructed by Arien Van Offen- dam, whose terms for tuition were two dried beaver-skins per annum; but educational ad- vantages in the city suffered limitations, for although "the bowl had been going round a long time for the purpose of erecting a schoolhouse," that structure had been "built with words" only. In 1652, the West India I Records of New Amsterdam.
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Under the City Fathers
Company wrote to Stuyvesant: "A public school may be established, for which one schoolmaster will be sufficient, and he may be engaged at 250 florins annually. We recom- mend Jan de La Montagne- You may ap- propriate the city tavern for that purpose if practicable."
Dr. La Montagne appears to have served the city in the capacity of schoolmaster, but there is no evidence that the tavern became a classic hall, and later records seem to in- validate that theory. In 1656, a " reverential request" to the burgomasters and schepens was presented by Hermanus Van Hoboocken, city schoolmaster, who desired the hall and side-room of the Stadt-Huys for the use of the school, as during the winter children require a place "adapted for fire and to be warmed." This modest application was sup- plemented by the more personal statement that as the petitioner "is burthened with a
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wife and children " he is greatly in need of a dwelling for them.' In response to Ho- boocken's appeal, the room he asked for being "out of repair, and moreover wanted for other uses," the council voted one hun- dred guilders, "in order that the youth, who are here quite numerous, may have means of instruction." 2
Efforts to establish private institutions of learning did not find favor in the eyes of all city officials. After Jacob Van Corlear, hav- ing secured a license, "arrogated to himself to keep school," though he was not ac- cused of any misdemeanor, except that of imparting knowledge, he was warned, by command of the governor and council, that his school-keeping must cease. But at length the colonists demanded that "in so wild a country " at least two good schoolmasters should be provided, and, in 1658, stimulated I Records of New Amsterdam. 2 Ibid.
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perhaps by New England's attainments, the magistrates of New Amsterdam made a sig- nal effort to secure educational advantages. They wrote to the West India Company that most of the youth in the colony could read and write, and as some of the citizens would like to send their children to a teacher "who understands Latin," the Company was besought to send such an accomplished in- structor, for whom, on their part, the council promised to provide a schoolroom.
The request appears to have been granted with unusual promptness, for the following year Alexander Carolus Curtius arrived. If his name was an emblematic guaranty of classi- cal culture, his learning must have been mar- vellous; but although suitable honors and emoluments were decreed him, he seems to have failed in ability as a disciplinarian, and he was soon succeeded by Egidius Luyck, who remained until the Dutch rule was ended.
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There is evidence that the teacher's pecuni- ary recompense was sometimes withheld. In court records of 1661, " Jan Rutgersen, pltf., vs. Mighiel Cuperus, deft." the plaintiff de- mands from defendant, thirteen guilders in sewant ; attorney of defendant answers, that defendant demands from plaintiff two quar- ters of a year's school money for his son's little boy, for whose schooling he contracted; also for a leg of goat's meat, and says, " he offered to let debt go against debt." Plaintiff says, he "did not agree for the little boy, and earned the little leg," which statement the honora- ble court ordered to be proven.1
In 1654, when the municipal government was organized, the stone tavern was appro- priated for civic purposes and called the Stadt Huys. This massive building, fifty feet square, was three stories high in the walls, with two more in the high peaked roof. Over the bench
I Records of New Amsterdam.
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STADT HUYS, Corner of Pearl Street and Coenties Alley Built in 1642
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Under the City Fathers
of justice in the great court room hung a coat- of-arms sent from Holland for the young city, and the hall was gay with the orange, blue, and white of the West India Company. The building stood so close to the river that its walls were washed by the rising tide, until a barrier of stone was built along the shore. This protection, known as "the schoeyinge," was between the present Wall and Broad streets, and was formed by planks driven end-wise into the earth.
In front of the Stadt Huys stood the gal- lows, and a platform, from which public no- tices were read after the bell had been tolled three times to assemble the citizens. In the rear of the Stadt Huys was Hoogh Straat, leading to the ferry. The same line of highway was called Brouwer Straat (the Brewer's Street) between the present Broad and Whitehall streets, and, early in 1658, in response to a petition from the citizens, the magistrates
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